APT on Essequibo River first descent

In 2016 adventurer Laura Bingham traversed South America by cycling for over 7,000 km from Manta in Ecuador, and crossed the Andes to Buenos Aires in Argentina viaPeru, Bolivia and Paraguay. This epic journey was undertaken to raise awareness for the U.K./Paraguayan charity Operation South America, and was carried out with only the equipment that could be packed on the bike, and no money. Relying on the generosity of strangers and by foraging en route, Laura utilized Pure Hydration’s aquapure traveller™ (APT) to deliver safe drinking water from whatever sources she could find.

The aquapure traveller™ crossed South America with Laura to protect against microbiological and chemical contaminants in essential drinking water.

At the start of February 2018 Laura returned to South America, this time heading for Guyana. Here she will attempt to undertake

Together with paddling partners Ness Knight and Pip Stewart, this all female team will be travelling the 1,014 km (630 mile) course of the Essequibo by inflatable kayak as it flows north from the Acarai Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean.

(L-R) Ness Knight, Laura Bingham, and Pip Stewart during preparatory training for the Essequibo descent. It should be a little warmer in Guyana than the rivers they practiced on, but while the whitewater of Wales has honed essential paddling skills for the Essequibo, there are far fewer caimans in the Teifi!

Initially explored in 1837-38, it was not until2013that the location of the Essequibo’s source valley was confirmed. As the largest river between the Amazon and the Orinoco, the Essequibo rises near the border with Brazil in the territory of the endangered Amerindian Wai Wai tribe. Only a few meters wide at its head, it becomes a 20 km (12.5 mile) wide estuary at its mouth which lies 21 km (13 miles) northwest of Guyana’s capital, Georgetown.

The team will paddle through the exceptional biodiversity of Guyana’s near pristine rain forest and rich savannah tracts. They will share the waterway with such as Black Caiman and Giant River Otters.They will pass by ancient petroglyphs carved into river rocks, WWII aircraft wrecks, and modern gold mining operations. When required, they will portage waterfalls and any rapids that are deemed inadvisable to paddle, and unsheathe their machetes to carve temporary routes around the obstacles.

To maintain their health and strength over the anticipated 2 month duration of the descent, the team will be fueling their bodies with nutritious Firepot meals and Nuzest’s Good Green Stuff and Clean Lean Protein (in addition to any Piranha they can catch as they go!).

To avoid waterborne disease (and for safely rehydrating and mixing their food and supplements) the team will be using the APT for essential hydration during the Essequibo descent. Delivered with neoprene carry cases and paddle leashes to attach to the kayaks or buoyancy aids, the APTs will be easily accessible whenever thirst calls.

Pure Hydration is proud to support the team in this superb attempt to conquer new frontiers. We wish you every success ladies!